Cattle Industry

• What happened in 1861-65?


  Civil war
• What happened as a result of the civil war?

  • Cattle population increased to 5 million because cattle ranchers were fighting in the civil war
  • Had no control over them
• In 1865 why were cattle so cheap in the south?

  • due to lack of control over them- they mated with anything
  • meat was not pure
• What happened in 1866?

  • goodnight and loving trail was created
  • Avoids Texas fever and quarantined areas (Kansas in quarantine)
  • Goes west to New Mexico then up north
  • Finishes in wyomi
• What did the goodnight and loving trail lead to?


  increased migration- economy boosted as now cowboys could sell cows for $40 in north instead of $5 in south
• What also happened in 1866 with John illif?

  • Bought cheap, skinny cattle and fattened them up on the plains
• Who developed cow towns and what year?

  1867- Mcoy created the first cow town called Abilene
• What happened as a result of McCoys work?

  • Can butcher cows at Abilene
  • Transport beef and not the whole cow- calling carts
• What helped McCoy?

  Railroad
• What was invented in 1870 and by who?


  Open range ranching by John Illif
• What did Open range ranching lead to?

  1. The great die up in 1886-87 as the open range cattle had no where to go so they froze to death as the plains had harsh conditions
  2. Conflict with sheep owners and homesteaders - fought over land ownership and the sheep cut the grass too short so the homesteaders couldn’t farm on it
• What did Goodnight and illif manage to do and what year?

  • 1872- won a contract with gov
  • now can provide meat to Sioux reservations
  • Expanded cattle industry as they now sell it to a large reservation
• When was the beef bonanza and why did it happen?


  1870s -everyone wanted to copy illif -he inspired people which is why he was a baron
• What did the beef bonanza lead to?

  • The great die up
• when was the great die up?


  1886
• What happened during the great die up?

  • 15% of open range cattle died
  • Smaller ranchers had an advantage- less cattle to deal with
  • Extreme temperatures on plains (-50 degrees)
• what were the consequences of the great die up?

  • Cattle industry affected- economical losses
  • Less cattle= not as big cattle industry
• When was the homestead act?


  1862
• What did it say?

  if homesteaders lived and farmed on a plot of land for 5 years they got 160 acres of land for free
• what did this lead to?

  • increased settlement-4 million claimed it as they wanted an excuse to move and now they had it
  • Increased conflict as homesteaders were claiming the land the ranchers wanted